


Being of Shadows

by idrilhadhafang



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Brief mention of Brendol Hux Being A Douche, Death of Shara Bey, Dog BB-8, Endgame Darkpilot, Friends to Lovers, Human/Monster Romance, Light Angst, M/M, Minor Poe/Zorii, Monster Ben Solo, Monster Under The Bed AU, Nothing Until Both Of Them Are Eighteen, Poe Dameron Needs A Hug, Soft Ben Solo, Soul Bond, Weird Fluff, Young Ben Solo, Young Poe Dameron, also one-sided - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-17
Updated: 2020-03-17
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:34:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23181811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: Poe Dameron never expected to befriend and later love the monster under his bed — but his life starting at the age of eight has a sense of humor. Relationship doesn’t begin until they’re both eighteen.
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Ben Solo, Poe Dameron/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Kudos: 7
Collections: Trope Bingo: Round Fourteen





	Being of Shadows

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Transformations
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing.
> 
> Author’s Notes: Yes, this is a monster-under-the-bed AU. I hope it’s okay, at least. Also, I’m thinking of turning this into a longer piece. Probably the first time I’ve explicitly done this.

Poe is eight years old when he meets the monster under his bed.   
  
It’s when he gets back from his mother’s funeral and his father tucks him into bed. “I know it’s hard, Poe,” Kes says softly. “Just know that your mama’s in heaven, and she’s always looking out for you. For both of you.”  
  
BB whines softly, the orange and white puppy nuzzling next to Poe like he thinks he can do whatever he can to comfort Poe. Poe smiles weakly even as he runs his fingers through the puppy’s soft orange and white fur. Kes says comforting things, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that Mama is _gone,_ and it’s not fair. Doesn’t God have enough Mamas? Let God have his own Mama; Poe’s Mama is _his,_ and that awful driver had no right to take her from Poe —  
  
It’s as Poe‘s trying to fall asleep, long after Kes leaves him to sleep alone that he hears clicking on the floor. Poe, scared, draws the covers closer to his face — he can only imagine what’s lurking there, under the bed...  
  
“Whoever you are,” and Poe’s voice comes out strained, a barely audible whisper even as BB starts growling softly, “I have a dog with me, and he bites!”  
  
“It’s okay!” There’s a chirpy voice that throws Poe’s mind for a loop even as he listens to it. “Don’t worry; I won’t hurt you. You seemed sad!”  
  
Confused, scared, Poe peeks over to see the last thing he expected: a little boy. Kind of odd-looking, Poe thinks, with pointed ears and sharp-looking teeth, but still a little boy.   
  
“Who are you?” Poe’s too confused, too curious to be scared. He expected the monster under his bed to take many forms, but not a child his age.   
  
“I’m Ben!” the boy chirps. “What’s your name?”  
  
Ben. Such a deceptively _normal_ sounding name for a monster. “Poe,” Poe says. “What are you doing here?”  
  
“I was exploring!” the boy chirps. “I’ve never been to the human world before. Mama says it’s dangerous...but you don’t look like you’ll hurt me. What’s wrong?”  
  
“You’re lucky,” Poe says. “You have a mama. Is she a good mama?”  
  
“She is!” The boy sounds excited. “My daddy’s my hero, though. He can fly! He says I can fly too, when I’m old enough.”  
  
“I hope so,” Poe says. Then, “So there’s a whole world under there?” He can’t imagine. He can only think that it’s like _Alice in Wonderland,_ with that rabbit hole.   
  
“Yeah.” Ben beams. “Can you tell me about your world? I’ve never been there.”  
  
BB’s watching the situation with curiosity. Luckily, as Ben pets him, he doesn’t have claws — he has harmless looking fingers. Were there claws there at all?   
  
“I can shift,” Ben says. “I’m...not really all monster, though. Some of the other monsters don’t like me because of this.” He sounds sad, and confused, and Poe can’t blame him.   
  
“Who wouldn’t like you?” Poe says. “I like you. And BB likes you.”  
  
“I can see that,” Ben says. Then, “He’s really cute! What kind of animal is he?”  
  
“He’s a dog.”  
  
Ben furrows his brow.   
  
“Well, dogs are some of the best animal companions in the world,” Poe says. “They’re friendly and nice and they’re protective. They’re like...a friend. Only furry.”  
  
“It’s nice to have friends.” Still that chirpy voice. “Can I be your friend, Poe?”  
  
Poe nods. “That’d be nice.”  
  
***  
  
Ben becomes Poe’s Ben. Poe can’t tell his dad the truth; that’s the one part that sucks. He thinks that Dad would like him. But at the same time, Poe doesn’t want to share Ben with anyone else.   
  
Ben teaches Poe things. How to hide, how to look out for certain things. And Poe teaches Ben about certain things. About the human world — at least to the best of his ability. He is only eight, after all. He doesn’t know everything. Sometimes, Poe and Ben talk late into the night — Poe talks about school, and his issues with Armie Hux.   
  
“He’s not all bad,” Poe said. “I mean...he seems really scared of his daddy. I’d be scared of his daddy too, if I were him.” Even remembering seeing Brendol Hux dropping Armie off sometimes — the way Armie looked, he looked like he was living with an actual boogeyman for a daddy. Poe wonders who’d do something like that to their kid.  
  
“What do you mean?” Ben says.   
  
“They don’t seem to like each other,” Poe says. “My friend Zorii — she says Armie’s mom wasn’t, like, married to his daddy. I don’t know if it’s true, though. And it’s not Armie’s fault.”  
  
Ben nods. “Exactly!” Then, “You’re nice, Poe. I like you.”  
  
“I like you too.” Poe definitely hasn’t expected to feel a sort of warmth when it comes to the monster under his bed. Maybe “monster” isn’t accurate, though. Maybe “odd but endearing creature” is more like it. Poe doesn’t even think Ben’s particularly scary-looking, even. Even the sharp teeth are adorable.   
  
***  
  
Ben has to make a contract when they’re both thirteen. According to Ben — whose voice has deepened, and he’s not quite the sweet, cheerful child that he was — monsters have to be more discreet when visiting their humans.   
  
“People start to notice,” he says, his serious demeanor a contrast to when they were both small children. Poe can’t help but think that he’s too serious for a young teenager. “When you’re a child, it’s expected. The boogeyman’s just another part of childhood. And then people believe in us less. All replaced with a fear of rejection, or whatever humans worry about nowadays.”  
  
“I guess.” Poe sighs. “Y’know, it’s okay. I mean, I still believe in you. You helped me, you know. You still do.”  
  
“And I still want to help you. You looked at me like...not many do. Like you saw the good in me.”  
  
Poe nods. “There is good in you.”  
  
They’re certain of each other, when they make the bond. The contract. Some of the monsters call it a _dyad,_ two that are one. Poe doesn’t know if the word “dyad” means what it does in the monster language, but he can at least take comfort in the fact that the bond between him and Ben can’t be broken.   
  
***  
  
He sees Ben, in his dreams. No matter what the content of his dreams, no matter what Poe faces, the two of them face it together, and even though Poe’s tough, he’s glad that he at least has someone with him to fight the worst things his brain can conjure up.   
  
***  
  
High school is tough. Especially when, Poe realizes, you’re falling in love with your bondmate, the former monster under the bed. Ben isn’t perfect — he can be temperamental and stubborn, but there’s so much that Poe loves about him as well. Too much, actually. His endearingly snarky sense of humor — Poe’s type of humor. His kindness — his warmth towards Poe. And he’s beautiful. Poe can take or leave a generic Chris Evans type. Ben? Poe doubts he’s ever seen anyone more beautiful. It doesn’t matter that he has retractable talons or anything like that. Poe thinks he’s beautiful.   
  
Sometimes, Poe thinks that Ben feels the same way about him. Maybe it’s wishful thinking, but sometimes Poe thinks Ben’s small details, like the way he looks at Poe...  
  
Then again, what could a monster want with a mere human? After all, Poe’s nothing special. Poe hasn’t done anything special, or come from anything special...  
  
Goddamn, Poe thinks, unrequited love really fucking blows.   
  
***  
  
It’s after a failed date with Zorii when he’s eighteen that Poe slumps on his bed, already feeling defeated and stupid. He thought he could at least have Zorii, just as a substitute for the fact that he can never have Ben. The lion doesn’t fall in love with the lamb, and _Twilight_ was full of shit.   
  
_Bad date?_ Ben says.   
  
Poe nods. “I thought it could work. I mean...”  
  
 _Poe. You’re a bad liar. I’ve lived with you for a decade, long enough to know that. What’s going on?_  
  
Poe tells him. And he feels...God, he’s expected rejection, expected Ben to laugh at him...instead, he says, _Poe Dameron...you think I wasn’t feeling the same way at points? A burning, splendid sun doesn’t fall in love with the night that comes after. A monster who isn’t quite a monster._  
  
“So I’m the sun to you?” It’s flattering to be thought of that way, but also scary.   
  
_Always. Before I knew what the human concept of love was, I loved you. I would have fought all your demons to keep you safe._  
  
Poe swallows. "I didn’t think...”  
  
 _But here we are. Sleep, my mate — you’re safe with me. Forever._  
  
Poe, even as he drifts off to sleep, feeling Ben all but surrounding him — a being of shadows who isn’t scary in the least — cannot dispute that.


End file.
